Shifting mechanism for hatchway-covers.



E. J. POTVIN. SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR HAI'GHWAY covnns.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 26, 1911.

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R i W E. J. POTVIN. SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR HATGHWAY COVERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 19l1 Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

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mw /M E. J. POTVIN. SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR. HATGHWAY COVERS. I

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 26, 1911.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- EMILE J. POTVIN, 0F CHEIBOYGAN, MICHIGAN.

SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR I-IATCHWAY-CQVERS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMILE J. POTVIN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cheboygan, in the county of Cheboygan and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shifting Mechanism for Hatchway-Covers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a shifting mechanism for the sections of hatch-way covers and has for its object to provide a shifting mechanism for such purpose in a manner as hereinafter set forth whereby the sections of a hatch-way cover can be shifted to open or close the hatch-way of a vessel when occasion so requires.

Although the shifting mechanism is particularly designed for use in connection with the sections of the hatch-way cover, yet it is to be understood that the mechanism can be used for any purposes wherein it is found applicable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shifting mechanism in a manner as hereinafter set forth which is adapted for use in connection with the covers of one or more hatch-ways and when used in connection with a plurality of covers, including means whereby one cover can be shifted to open or close the hatch-way independently of the cover or covers for the other hatchways.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a shifting mechanism for the sect-ions of the cover of a hatch-way which is comparatively simple in its construction, and arrangement, strong, durable, efficient in its use, conveniently operated, readily set up in operative position, and comparatively inexpensive to install.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown a modification of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within thescope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure l is a top plan view of a portion of the hull of a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 26, 1911.

Patented Feb. 2'7, 1912.

Serial No. 629,562.

vessel broken away illustrating in full lines the shifting means for the sections of the hatch cover and in dotted lines the hatch and the cover therefor, the cover being shifted to open the hatch. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the hull of a vessel broken away, illustrating the hatch open. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the hull of a vessel illustrating the cover for the hatch closed and the shifting means for the sections of the cover in full and dot-ted lines. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the hull of a vessel broken away, illustrating the hatch cover in closed position. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of a portion of the hull of a vessel illustrating a plurality of hatches and a cover for each of the hatches, the covers being closed. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of the hull of a vessel illustrating the driving shaft for the operating cables of the shifting mechanism, and, Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view and Fig. 8 a side elevation of the clutching means for coupling the shifting cables to the main operating cables.

It is to be understood that the term cable is generic to any form of flexible member capable of being employed in the shifting mechanism for the sections of the cover of the hatch.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 9 denotes the hull of a vessel, and 10 the bulk heads. Between each pair of the latter are arranged the hatch-way openings 11 closed by a sectional cover to be hereinafter referred to. The hatch-way openings are provided in the deck 12 and secured to the deck 12 and surrounding each of the openings 11 is a rectangular frame 18 preferably formed of a channel iron or channel irons and upon which the sections of the hatchway cover are shifted. The frame 13 conforms in contour to the shape of theopenings 11.

As each hatch-way cover is of the same construction but one will be described, the description of one applying to the other. As the shifting device for the sections of each hatch-Way cover is of the same construction, but one will be described, the de scription of one applying to the others.

Each hatch-way cover consists of a series of sections, by way of example, six, but this number can be increased or diminished if desired. The sections of the hatch way cover are arranged in two sets, the sections of one set shifting to and from the port side of the vessel and the sections of the other set shifting to and from the star-board side of the vessel. The sections of one set of the hatch-way cover are indicated by the reference characters 14, 15, 16, the section 14 overlapping the section 15 and slidable thereon and thereofl', the section 15 overlapping the section 16 and slidable thereon and thereoff, and the section 16 is slidable upon one end of the frame 13 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The sections of the other set of the hatch-way cover are indicated by the reference characters 17, 18, and 19, the section 17 overlapping the section 18 and slidable thereon and thereoff, the section 18 overlapping the section 19 and slidable thereon and thereoff, and the section 19 is slidable upon the other end of the frame 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. WVhen the sections of the hatch-way are shifted to open the hatch, they are in the position as shown in Fig. 2 and when shifted to close the hatch they are in the position as shown in Fig. 6, the sections 14 and 17 abutting. Each of the cover sections of the hatch-Way is provided with an inwardly extending angle shaped member 20 and the members 20 of the sections 14, 15 are so disposed that when the sections are shifted to open the hatch, the member of the section 14 will engage the inner edge of the section 15 and the member of the section 15 will engage the edge of the section 16 and the member 20 of the section 16 will engage one end of the frame 13 thereby limiting the shifting movement of the section 16. The angle-shaped members 20 of the sections 17 and 18 are so arranged that when the section 17 is shifted to open the hatch-way the member of the section 17 will engage the inner edge of the section 18, the member of the section 18 will engage the inner edge of the member 19, and the member 20 of the section 19 will engage the outer end of the frame 13. The engagement of the members 20 with the sections of the hatchway cover in a manner as stated will cause, when it is desired to open the hatch-way, the members 20 of the sections 14 and 17 to shift the sections 15 and 18 and the members 20 of the sections 15 and 18 to shift the sections 16 and 19. This can be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawing. The sections 14, 15 and 16 are coupled together by cables 21, as are the sections 17, 18 and 19. hen the sections of the hatchway cover are shifted to closed position, the cables 21 will, as is obvious, move the sections of the hatch-way cover to the position shown in Fig. 4. The section 14 at its inner end is provided with a depending bracket 20 and the section 17 with a depending bracket 21, each of said brackets being formed with an opening. The function of said brackets 20, 21 will be presently referred to.

Each shifting device for the sections of the hatch-way cover includes a pair of shifting cables 22, 23, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The cable 22 is detachably connected to the bracket 20 and is provided with a hook 24 which detachably engages the bracket 20 to couple therewith the cable 22 so that when the cable 22 travels, the section .14 of the hatch-way cover will be carried therewith. The cable 23 is provided with a hook 25 which detachably engages the bracket 21 to couple the cable 23 with said bracket so that when the cable 23 travels, the section 17 of the hatch-way cover will be carried therewith. Suspended from the deck 12 near each side thereof are the suspension brackets 26, 27, the former provided with a pair of sheaves 28, 29, revolving on a vertical axis, and the latter with a pair of sheaves 30, 31 which also revolve on a vertical axis.

The arrangement of the sheaves is best shown in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings and they are disposed centrally with respect to the hatchway openings. The shifting cable 22 travels over the sheaves 28 and 30 and the shifting cable 23 travels over the sheaves 29 and 31. The sheave 30 is arranged opposite the sheave 29 while the sheave 31 is arranged opposite the sheave 28. Each bulk head 10 has secured thereto a pair of brackets 32, 33 and a pair of brackets 34, 35. The brackets 32, 33 project toward the brackets 34, 35 and the brackets 32, 33 are arranged above the brackets 34, 35. Carried by the said brackets revolving upon vertical axes are sheaves which are indicated by the reference characters 36, 37, 38, 39. Traveling over the sheaves 36 and 39 is the shifting cable 22. One end of said cable is attached as at 40 to one bulk head 10 while the other end of said cable is attached to the opposite bulk head 10 as at 41. The shifting cable 23 travels over sheaves 37 and 38 and has one end attached as at 42 to one bulk head 10 and its other end secured as at 43 to the opposite bulk head 10.

The means for shifting the cables 22, 23 so as to open and close the sections of the hatch-way cover will now be referred to. Two endless operating cables are employed for such purpose, said cables extending the full length of the deck on each side and each cable is placed at an angle of 45 with respect to the side of the hull of the vessel. One of the operating cables is indicated by the reference character 44 and the other by the reference character 45. The operating cables extend through suitable openings in the bulk heads 10 as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Between each pair of bulk heads, each operating cable is provided with a pair of pulling members for shifting the cables 22 and 23. The pulling members carried by the operating cable 44 are inclicated by the reference characters 46, 47, the said pulling members being oppositely disposed and the member 47 being arranged above the member 46. The pulling members carried by the operating cable are indicated by the reference characters 48, 49. The said members are oppositely disposed with respect to each other and the member 48 is arranged above the member 49. The pulling members 46 to 49 are in the form of clutches for coupling the shifting cables to the operating cables. As the construction of each of the pulling members is the same, but one will be described, the description of one applying to the others. The pulling members are best shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and each consists of a pair of clutch bars 50, 51, between which extends an operating cable. The clutch bar 51 is of greater length than the clutch bar 50 for a purpose to be presently referred to. The bars 50 and 51 are connected together by pivoted links 52, 53, the links 52 being of greater length than the links 53 and are engaged by a pair of springs 54 which are carried by the bar 51 for the purpose of normally maintaining the links 52 and 53 in a vertical position holding the clutching bars 50, 51 supported so that they will not clutch the operating cable. When the bar 51 is shifted in one direction in a manner as hereinafter referred to, the links 52 are moved clear of the springs 54 whereby the links 52 and 53 will be moved to an inclined position, thereby drawing the bars 50, 51 toward each other, clutching the operating cable so that as the operating cable travels, the pulling member will be carried therewith. The bar 50 of the pulling member is provided with an overhanging arm 55 in which is pivotally mounted a sheave 56 over which travels one of the gripping cables as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The projecting end 57 of the bar 51 is provided for the purpose of shifting said bar to release it and the bar 50 from clutching engagement with the operating cable and in this connection it will be assumed that the pulling member is in clutching engagement with the operating cable causing said member to travel with said op erating cable until the projecting end 57 of the bar 51 engages a bulk head, such action shifting the bar 51 away from the bulk head, causing the links 52 and 53 to assume a vertical position so that the bars 50 and 51 will be moved out of clutching engagement with the operating cable, permitting the cable to travel free of the pulling member. When the bar 51 is shifted by engaging with the bulk head, the links 52 53, as be fore stated, are moved to vertical position and. the springs 54 engaging in'a seat 58 provided in each of the links 52 will maintain the said links in vertical position, such action also restoring the links 53 to vertical illustrated in Fig. 1.

position. The links 52 and 53 Will remain in vertical position and hold the bars 50 and 51 out .of engagement with the operating cable until the bar 51 is shifted manually in a manner as hereinafter set forth to cause the pulling member to grip the operating cable.

The operating cable 44 travels over a pair of sheaves 59, 60, each of which is disposed at an angle of 45 and each of which is mounted upon an angularly-disposed shaft 61 journaled in a bearing bracket 62 suitably secured to each end bulk head 10. The shaft 61 is provided with a beveled pinion 63. The operating cable 45 travels over the sheaves 64, 65, each of which is disposed at an angle of 45 and is carried by an angula-rly-disposed shaft 66 journaled in a bracket 67. The brackets 67 are secured to the end bulk heads 10 in any suitable manner. The shaft 66 is provided with a beveled pinion 68. Each end bulk head 10 is formed with a set of bearing brackets 69 and journaled in each of said sets of brackets is a transversely-extending shaft 70 having each end provided with a beveled gear 71. The beveled gears of the said sheaves mesh with the pinions .63, 68. One of the shafts 70 is coupled up with a suitable prime mover which is arranged upon the deck of the vessel so that said shaft can be driven thereby causing the travel of the op? erating cables 44, 45.

For each pulling member there is provided an actuating means for shifting the bar 51 of said member so as to cause the bars 50 and 51 to clutch an operating cable. As each of the said means is of the same construction but onev'will be described. Each of said means consists of a vertically disposed spindle 72 which extends through an opening 73 in the deck and is supported at its lower end in a bracket 74 secured to the side of the vessel. The spindle 72 is provided with a squared head 7 5 so that a suitable tool can be employed to shift an angularly-disposed arm 76 which is carried by the spindle 72 to engage the bar 51 of a pulling member to shift it to cause the clutching of an operating cable by the bars 50, 51. The actuating means are arranged in pairs, one pair at each side of the vessel and between a pair of bulk heads 10. The actuating means of each pair is arranged in proximity to a bulk head 10, the actuate ing means in proximity to one bulk head being adapted to shift the bars 51 of the pulling members 47, 49, and the actuating means in proximity to the other bulk head being adapted to shift the bars 51 of the pulling members 46, 48. For the shifting device for each hatch-way cover, there is pro vided two pairs of actuating means for the two pairs of pulling members, as clearly The construction of an actuating member is clearly shown in Fig. 4.

It will be assumed, by way of example, that the vessel is provided with six hatchways as shown in Fig. 5 and the covers for the said hatch-ways are indicated by the reference characters 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82. In Fig. 5, a shifting device is shown arranged between each pair of bulk heads for operating the sections of the hatch-way cover. With the several shifting devices for the hatch-way covers, two endless operating cables are employed and which are illus trated in Fig. 5. The operating cables do not operate the shifting devices for the hatch-way covers unless the said shifting devices are coupled with the operating cables through the medium of the pulling members. Normally, the operating cables travel loosely through the pulling members. It will be assumed that the hatch-way cover 77 is to be opened. The pulling members 46 and 48 are coupled to the operating cables by the actuating means for said members, the operating cable after the pulling members are coupled thereto are then driven from a prime mover. As the cables 44 and 45 travel, the pulling members 46, 48 will be carried therewith, shifting the cables 22, 23 to the position shown in Fig. 1. As the cables 22, 23 are shifted, the sections of the cover of each set are shifted to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. When the pulling members 46, 48 contact with the bulk head, that is, that bulk head toward which the pulling members are traveling when they are coupled to the operating cables, the projecting end 57 of the bars 51 will abut against the bulk head and cause an unclutching of the pulling members with respect to the operating cables, these cables then passing loosely through the pulling members. After the cover of the hatch has been shifted to open position, the travel of the operating cables is discontinued. Now, it will be assumed that it is desired to close the hatch. The pulling members 47 and 49 are coupled to the operating cables, these latter are then started and the pulling members 47 49 moved toward the opposite bulk head, causing the travel of the gripping cables 22, 23 in a direction opposite to that imparted to them by the pulling members 46, 48. As the pulling members 47, 49 move toward the opposite bulk head 10, the sections of the hatch-way are gradually moved to assume the position as shown in Fig. 4. When in this position pulling members 47 49 have been moved to a point where the projecting end of the bars 51 strike against the bulk head and uncouples the pulling members from the operating cables. When the pulling members 46, 48 are moved from their initial position by the operating cables, the pulling members 47 49 are returned to their initial position, and a like action is had when the pulling members 47 49 move from their initial position, that is to say, under such conditions, the pulling members 46, 48 are returned to their initial position.

If it be desired to shift all of the hatchway covers so as to open or close the hatchways simultaneously, first, all of the pulling members 46, 48 are coupled to the operating cables, these cables then operated to shift the covers to open position, and after the covers are shifted to open position, the movement of the operating cables is then discontinued. Then all of the pulling members 47 49 are coupled to the operating cables and these latter then caused to travel so that the covers will be shifted to close the hatchways simultaneously.

Prior to the coupling of the pulling members to the operating cables, the hook 24 is attached to the opposite hatch-way cover section 17, and hook 25 is attached to the opposite sect-ion 14, in order that the opposing sections may be pulled toward the center.

By the arrangement of pulling members 11 the manner as stated, each being capable of being manually operated to clutch the same with one strand of the operating cable it is obvious that any one of the hatch-way covers can be shifted to open or closed position independent of the other.

What I claim is:

1. A shifting mechanism for hatch-way covers including a pair of traveling endless operating cables, a hatch-way cover comprising two sets of shiftable sections, cables for shifting said sections to open and closed positions, means whereby the shifting cables are coupled with said operating cables causing thereby the operation of the shifting cables, and means whereby the shifting calgles are uncoupled from said operating cales.

2. A shifting mechanism for hatch-way covers including a pair of endless traveling operating cables, a sectional hatch-way cover, cables for shifting the sections of said cover to open and closed positions, pulling members connected with the shifting cables and normally mounted loosely upon the op- 115 erating cables, and means whereby the pulling members are coupled with said operating cables causing thereby the operation of the shifting cables to shift the cover to open and close the hatch-way.

3. A shifting mechanism for hatch-way covers including a pair of endless traveling operating cables, a sectional hatch-way cover, cables for shifting the sections of said cover to open and closed positions, pulling 125 members connected with the shifting cables and normally mounted loosely upon the operating cables, means whereby the pulling members are coupled with said operating cables causing thereby the operation of the 1 shifting cables to shift the cover to open and close the hatch-way, and means whereby the pulling members are uncoupled from said operating cables.

4;. A shifting mechanism for sectional hatch-way covers comprising the combination with a sectional hatch'way cover having the sections thereof coupled together, of cables connected with said sections for shifting them to open and closed positions, traveling operating elements for shifting said cables, and means engaged by said cables and mounted upon said elements for coupling the cables to and from said elements.

5. A shifting mechanism for sectional hatch-way covers comprising the combination with a sectional hatch-way cover hav ing the sections thereof coupled together, of cables connected with said sections for shifting them to open and closed positions, pulling members connected with said cables, means for causing the travel of said pulling members, said pulling members mounted upon said means, and means for coupling and uncoupling said pulling members to and from the means for imparting travel to the pulling members.

6. A shifting mechanism for hatch-way covers comprising the combination with a plurality of sectional hatch-way covers having the sections thereof suitably coupled together, a pair of shifting cables for opening and closing each of the sectional covers, operating means for one cable of each of the pair of cables, operating means for the other cable of each of the pair of cables, and means whereby a pair of shifting cables can be operated by said operating means independently of the other pairs for shifting the sections of one hatch-way to open and closed position independently of the other covers.

7. A shifting mechanism for hatch-way covers comprising the combination of a plurality of sectional hatch-way covers, a pair of shifting cables for the sections of each of said covers, said cables constituting means for shifting the sections of each cover to open and closed position, an operating means for one cable of each of the pairs of cables, an operating means for the other cable of each of the pairs of cables, and means whereby each pair of shifting cables can be connected to said operating cables independently of the other pairs of shifting cables whereby the sections of one cover can be shifted independently of the sections of the other cover.

8. A shifting mechanism for hatch-way covers comprising the combination with a plurality of sectional hatch-way covers having the sections thereof suitably connected together, of shifting cables connected with said sections for shifting them to open and closed position, an operating means for one cable of each of the pairs of cables, an operating means for the other cable of each of the pairs of cables, and means whereby the shifting cables are coupled with the operating cables causing thereby the shifting of the sections of the covers to open and closed positions.

9. A shifting mechanism for hatch-way covers comprising the combination with a plurality of sectional hatch-way covers having the sections thereof suitably connected together, of shifting cables connected with said sections for shifting them to open and closed positions, operating cables, means mounted upon the operating cables whereby the shifting cables are coupled with the operating cables causing thereby the shifting of the sections of the covers to open and closed positions, and means whereby the shifting cables are uncoupled from said operating cables.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EMILE J. POTVIN.

Witnesses:

LEON DUROCKER, F. J. CoNNnLLY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

